Urban land use change analysis using RS and GIS in Sulakbahar ward in Chittagong city, Bangladesh

The main aim of the present study is to identify and detect the land use, land cover changes occurred in Chittagong city and to integration of Remote Sensing and GIS data for analyzing, evaluating and changing of land-use in study area. To conduct this study, Sulakbahar Ward of Chittagong City Corporation was selected as the study area. Based on remotely sensed data, the thematic maps and field records have been considered for detail investigation. Rapideye image of 2011 and Landsat TM image of 1989 of the study area were the two important bases of visual classification and change detection study. After making the images geometrically corrected, visual interpretation of the images has been done by generating thematic data layers with the help of ERDAS IMAGINE software. Change detection map is produced by overlaying the data layers of the two study years (1989 and 2011). Highest decrease (79 hectares) and highest increase (91 hectares) have occurred in the category of exposed land and settlement area respectively and about 27% of the total land has undergone changes into different land-uses between 1989 and 2011. Use of RS and GIS technologies are recommended for better planning and sustainable management of urban land use in study area.